Task #2 Bioethics 302Exam Due Date: Tuesday, Dec. 13th, 11:59 pm
Exam Instructions:
1.
Please answer both questions below. Answer each sub-question as well.
2.
Each answer should be approximately 700-800 words per answer. Your total test should be
between 1400-1800 words.
3.
Cite the sources for any quotes in your test or in any instances where it is not clear which author
you are paraphrasing. Only use course materials for this test.
4.
Test questions should be answered by you alone. You may review any class readings with class
member, but carefully avoid discussing the test questions. If I find too many similarities between
any two persons’ answers, I retain the right to test them further.
5.
Remember that this test is graded, in part, on the quality of the reasons you give in explaining
your answers. Think carefully about your answers and explain them clearly and thoroughly
(though keep the word count in mind). You may quote class texts to strengthen or clarify your
answers.
6.
Please submit your test by attaching it by clicking on the heading for Test 2 under Tests.
Exam Questions:
1. Read the following case and answer the questions below:
The nurse and physician team assigned to Guardian Nursing Home are worried. Mabel, an eighty-fouryear-old non-ambulatory patient, has been a resident of the nursing home for the past three years. She
moved their once her nephew could no longer care for her at home. Her condition has declined quickly.
In the past year, she has rarely moved from a semi-fetal condition, and she suffers from severe dementia.
She cannot speak, but moans occasionally when her dressings are changed, or when she is fed through her
feeding tube. Sometimes, she seems to smile, as when her hair is brushed. She has no bowl control. The
medical team is concerned about the pressure sores on her body from the lack of movement. They believe
she can feel pain and are concerned that she can’t express herself.
The medical team believes artificial nutrition (food) and hydration are inappropriate treatments for Mabel.
Based on their previous experiences, they find the artificial nutrition and hydration are providing no
benefit to the patient, but rather, simply prolonging her slow death. Life itself, they believe, is not a
benefit under such conditions. Mabel’s life expectancy is most likely a few months, but the team fears
they could be terrible months for her.
The patient’s nephew, her only relative, is her surrogate. In general, the nephew has expressed support
for continuing Mabel’s artificial nutrition and hydration.
Questions:
a. Given Wicclair’s categories of futility, in what senses, if any, are Mabel’s artificial nutrition
and hydration futile? Please explain in detail.
b. Is it ethically acceptable for Mabel’s medical team to refuse to continue providing artificial
nutrition and hydration for her due to futility? Why or why not? (Advice for writing below):
2
i. Assume the medical team would only refuse if Mabel’s nephew insists on the
treatment after the team explains their reasoning to him multiple times.
ii. Please use ethical concepts from class in explaining your answer.
c. In their reading for class, the U.S. Bishop’s Committee reflects on the ethics of artificial
nutrition and hydration within their religious tradition. As you interpret their essay, would
they say it would be morally wrong to discontinue artificial nutrition and hydration for
Mabel?
i. Please state a couple of important reasons in favor and against discontinuing the
treatment from their point of view in your answer.
2. Please read the case below and answer the following questions:
Amanda’s doctor gave her the news: she had a gene for the same disease that had led to her dad’s slow
and terrible death a year earlier. On the spot, Amanda declared that she would not let the disease take
another life in her family (usually died in their 60s) and vowed that she would not give birth to any
children. Yet, her life has taken a surprising turn. Amanda got married to Dan, and she and her husband
chose to reproduce after all using in vitro fertilization. They had cells from the embryos they created
tested for her family’s disease, and only embryos without the gene for the disease were implanted.
Amanda and Dan are now the parents of three children who are happy (usually!) and healthy and free of
her disease. Was it ethical for them to use PGD for this purpose?
a. What are at least two ethical issues or concepts from class that could be relevant and helpful
in analyzing the ethics of this case? Explain how these issues apply to the case and what the
issues reveal about what is right or wrong in this case. (I do not expect you to have in-depth
knowledge of PGD. If you have any technical questions about the technology, please let me
know.)
b. What do you think Adrienne Asch would say about the ethics of using PGD in this way?
Here, as much as possible, address ethical issues that you did not discuss in part (a).
c. Last, but not least, what do you think about this ethics of this case? Focus your response on
one central ethical point, pro or con, and explain and defend it. In defending your argument,
imagine why someone would reasonably disagree with it.
Good luck on your final test! Thank you for your hard work. Please let me know if you have any
questions.
Stephanie